In 2014, Malmö FF knocked out Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
But that was ten years ago, and Isaac Kiese Thelin and long-term injured Anton Tinnerholm are the only two players left in MFF from that time, and the double match probably doesn't play a very big role ahead of Wednesday's first playoff match at Eleda Stadium.
However, the winter training match in Marbella does.
"More physical and running-strong team"
Then MFF lost to the Czechs with 1–2 in an event that was intense, and which both teams saw as a competitive match.
It's clear that it's hard to compare a training match with the one that's coming up. But we have a good grip on them. We know how they play, we know what their strong sides are and what their weaknesses, says MFF's team captain Anders Christiansen at a press conference.
Coach Henrik Rydström means that Sparta Prague is a different type of team than Greek Paok, which MFF knocked out in the third qualifying round last week.
Sparta is a more physical and running-strong team. We know what we need to be good at, we expect an intense match, he says.
Sparta Prague is, just like Malmö FF, in the middle of their league season. The Czechs have won five out of five rounds and top the table in great style.
There are probably both advantages and disadvantages to being in league play. Sparta played a match on Saturday, just like us, and rotated several players, says Rydström.
Nordic colony
The Czech giant club Sparta Prague has recently become something of a Nordic colony. The team is coached by Dane Lars Friis (with former IFK Göteborg coach Jens Askou as assistant) and the squad includes both Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish players. Moreover, former MFF star Veljko Birmancevic is also found in the team.
You know who they are, both the players and the coaches, says Anders Christiansen.
The winner of the double match advances to the Champions League main round. The loser gets to play in the European League.
